Claims
- 1. A method for service selection in a data network comprising at least one Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access point, said method comprising:
sending, from a WLAN terminal, a network access identifier (NAI) including a service selection indicator via the WLAN access point, receiving, at an authentication server, the network access identifier including a service selection indicator, and providing the WLAN terminal with a connection to the service that is indicated by said selection indicator.
- 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the NAI is of the form <user>@<realm> and the service selection indicator is included in the <realm> portion of the NAI.
- 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein communication to and from said WLAN terminal utilizes an Authentication Authorization Accounting (AAA) protocol.
- 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said providing the WLAN terminal with a connection includes transferring tunnel attributes to said WLAN terminal.
- 5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said providing the WLAN terminal with a connection includes transferring Virtual Local Area Network attributes to said WLAN terminal.
- 6. A system for selecting services in a network, the system comprising:
at least one Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access point, at least one WLAN terminal comprising means for including a service selection indicator in a Network Access Identifier (NAT) and means for sending said NAT including said service selection indicator via the WLAN access point, and at least one authentication server comprising means for receiving a NAT including said service selection indicator, means for extracting said service selection indicator from said NAT and means for initiating a connection to a service indicated by said service selection indicator.
- 7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said means for initiating a connection is arranged to send tunnel attributes relating to said connection.
- 8. A system according to claim 6, wherein said means for initiating a connection is arranged to send Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) attributes relating to said connection.
- 9. A method in a terminal for selecting services, said method comprising:
setting a service selection indicator, including said service selection indicator in a Network Access Identifier (NAT), sending said NAT including said service selection indicator over a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and receiving at least one message for establishing a connection to the indicated service.
- 10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising receiving an input from the user indicating a selected service.
- 11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising presenting selectable services for a user.
- 12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the NAI is of the form <user>@<realm> and the service selection indicator is included in the <realm>portion of the NAI.
- 13. A method according to claim 9, wherein said receiving at least one message establishing a connection further comprises receiving tunnel attributes for use in establishing the connection.
- 14. A method according to claim 9, wherein said receiving at least one message establishing a connection further comprises receiving Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) attributes for use in establishing the connection.
- 15. A computer program directly loadable into the internal memory of a terminal, the computer program comprising software code portions for performing the method of claim 9.
- 16. A terminal that is enabled for communication via a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), said terminal comprising:
means for setting a service selection indicator, means for including said service selection indicator in a Network Access Identifier (NAI), means for sending said NAI including said service selection indicator, and means for establishing a connection to a indicated service in response to at least one message for establishing a connection.
- 17. A terminal according to claim 16, further comprising input means for. input of an indicator of a selected service.
- 18. A terminal according to claim 17, further comprising means for presenting selectable services for a user.
- 19. A terminal according to claim 16, wherein said means for establishing a connection is arranged to establish a connection based on received tunnel attributes.
- 20. A terminal according to claim 16, wherein said means for establishing a connection is arranged to establish a connection based on received Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) attributes.
- 21. An authentication server comprising:
means for receiving a Network Access Identifier (NAI) including a service selection indicator, means for extracting said service selection indicator from said NAI, and means for initiating a connection between a WLAN terminal and a service indicated by said service selection indicator.
- 22. An authentication server according to claim 21, further comprising means for retrieving attributes for setting up a connection to the service indicated by said service selection indicator.
- 23. An authentication server according to claim 21, wherein the authentication server is a authentication authorization accounting server.
- 24. An authentication server according to claim 23, further comprising a log including at least one record, which includes a user identity, a service selection indicator, and a value representing a billable feature.
- 25. A method in an authentication server comprising:
receiving a Network Access Identifier (NAI) including a service selection indicator, extracting said service selection indicator from said NAI, and initiating a connection between a WLAN terminal and a service indicated by said service selection indicator.
- 26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said initiating a connection comprises sending connection attributes related to the service that is indicated by said service selection indicator.
- 27. A method according to claim 25, further comprising controlling if a user identified in the NAI is authorized to access the service indicated in the NAI.
- 28. A method according to claim 25, further comprising logging a billable feature for an identified user utilizing an indicated service.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/IB02/01273 |
Apr 2002 |
WO |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC §119 to International Patent Application No. PCT/IB02/01273 filed on Apr. 18, 2002.